GS1000 forks and GS1100 swingarm on GS750?

[hannibal]

Hello,

I have a chance to pick up forks, triple trees, and hardware from 1980 GS1000. The guy also has a GS1100 swingarm.

I'm wondering what's needed to mount these on my 1977 GS750. 

For the GS1000 forks, I think I just need new stem bearings.

I'm a bit lost on the GS1100 swingarm. Are all GS1100 swingarms the same or is is the 1983 swingarm the better aluminum type? I've read that I'll need some custom spacers or bearings. Any help here?

Also, I really love the spoked wheels and I'm not trying to fit an ultra wide tire, just improve the look. Is there any point in running the GS1100 swingarm with early spoked wheels?

Thanks!

[Poldark]

Welcome to OSS.  Take a couple minutes to introduce yourself.  Have you been messing around with old Suzuki's a long time, or are you just starting?  There have been too many new members who get their one question answered and then disappear.  There's also a good chance of the parts swap you are attempting has already been done; so search through the old posts.  

[wraith]

Hi and welcome to OSS.

+1 on the above 

Front end should be a straight swap but you may need to alter the stop locks, also the 750 clock's you may need to alter the mounts.

Swing arm, you well to do some work as the spindle sizes are different, not 100% but think the gsx1100 (gs1100 over there) is a bit longer?

As to the wheels, if you like them do it, for the type of tyre and brakes you have on a standard GS you won't see much if any difference.

Big PS. We like pics, lots of pics and start a build thread in the projects pages, then it's there for other people (like yourself to help others).

[hannibal]

Thanks guys.

Six years ago, I found a 1977 GS750 for sale and decided I was mature enough to finally get a bike. It had electrical issues so I started learning and fixed that. Then came cleaning and lining the rusty tank and cleaning the carbs. After rebuilding calipers and brakes and replacing sprockets, chain, tires, and tubes, I rode for the first time a year after buying it!

A few years later, a cam sprocket screw backed out, broke the timing chain, and bent a valve. So I pulled the motor out and carried it up to my 2nd floor apartment. I replaced the bent valve, lapped the valves, honed the cylinders, and added new valve seals, shaft seals, and gaskets. Carried the motor back downstairs, got it remounted, and was ready to roll again. 

At this point, I've been through most of the bike and did all the work myself in the backyard of my apt. Except installing tubes and tires. I apparently suck at that.

I now have a garage and I've gotten 2 more bikes. I'm mostly into classic bikes in general. I really dig the early GS bikes and have also worked on a friend's 1978 GS550. I'd love to add a GS1000 one day.

I'm not into restoring, just making a bike safe to ride and showing off it's patina. And I promise to never hack a good bike into a "cafe racer". 

[wraith]

Well by the sounds of it, you jumped in at the deep end, so I will take my hat off to you and say well done.

I will say, be careful on here or before you know it, you we'll be putting a gs1000 motor in the 750 and giving it a big bore 

[Captain Chaos]

57 minutes ago, wraith said:

I will say, be careful on here or before you know it, you we'll be putting an oilcooled 1100 motor in the 750 and giving it a turbo

fixed

[wraith]

18 minutes ago, Captain Chaos said:

fixed

[gs7_11]

You'll need to put the stem from the 750 into the GS1000 bottom yoke, with a bush.

The 750 has a smaller bearing set and steering stem than any of the other big Suzi's.

I think the swinging arm spindle is smaller too, so you'll need top hats to fit that.

[wraith]

4 hours ago, gs7_11 said:

You'll need to put the stem from the 750 into the GS1000 bottom yoke, with a bush.

The 750 has a smaller bearing set and steering stem than any of the other big Suzi's.

 

Well, I didn't know that, it's a skool day every day 

[hannibal]

Thanks for the kind words, fork info, and the warning! I found the project section so I have a lot to read. There are some wild swaps in there!

Think I'm gonna make an offer on the forks and swingarm plus some random bits like the GS1000 airbox and exhaust. If I don't use the parts on the GS750, they can sit in the stash til I find a GS1000.

Thanks again!

[wraith]

If you can get anything GS parts cheep, it's not a bad idea as they will only go up in value, as parts get harder to find/get 

[denisd]

13 hours ago, wraith said:

If you can get anything GS parts cheep, it's not a bad idea as they will only go up in value, as parts get harder to find/get 

And that's what creates the false value of parts.... 

[wraith]

25 minutes ago, denisd said:

And that's what creates the false value of parts.... 

Yes I know, have you seen the price some people want for crap on fbay 

I myself have a box of parts for my GS that I keep just in case as some parts are hard to get or just silly money.

[denisd]

3 hours ago, wraith said:

Yes I know, have you seen the price some people want for crap on fbay 

I myself have a box of parts for my GS that I keep just in case as some parts are hard to get or just silly money.

It's gone ridiculous really, I prefer to give any spare parts away 

[wraith]

5 hours ago, denisd said:

It's gone ridiculous really, I prefer to give any spare parts away 

I did that when I sold a gs1000 motor, gave a large box of parts with it, then need a part I gave away and it cost me lots. So now if I see a part cheep and it fits one of my bikes I will buy it and put it in a box for a rainy day 

I will pass things on to OSS people, as I know it will be going to a good home, otherwise I keep it. I've psst on all sorts of bits before to OSS people at the same low price I got it, even when I know I could put it on the bay and get 2-3 times the price, and I always will for OSS members.